Morris tribune., 1887-01-26

udtuelleu nedtU, unkIONl. W DlUy1 uAd
not remain touched long.
"Well, we'll all be here, bag and
baggage, tomorrow, and see that you
air everything, and remember that
you are no longer mistress here, but q
servant" With this parting shaft he
took his departure.
The funeral, with all it's sad rites
was over. Evelyn, with several neigh
bors and friends, had accompanied the
remains to their last resting place in
the country churchyard, and she had
returned home tired, weary and heart
sick. She had not realized her loss to
the full extent until returning to the
lonely house and visiting the room he
had occupied, where she was wont to
run after shopping expedition to
greet him and display her purchases,
she missed his familiar face, and then
she knew that she had indeed lost her
dearest friend,
Sne had no time, however, to brood
over her sorrow, for she had yet to
prepare for the arrival Of the new
owner of Oakwood. Her proud spirit
rebelled against serYitude which was
Unjust, for she knew she was the prop
er mistress OF Oakwood, the home she
loved better than all else, since her ia
ther was gone.
Having superintended the prep VIA
tions for the new arrivals, she retired
to her room, not to sleep, but to think
with dread of the morrow.
X X X Y
Oakwood's new master had duly
taken possession of it. Each succeed
ing day seemed to bring to Evelyn
new TRIALS, and insults of the grosseSt
nature were constantly being heaped
upon her. She was compelled to per-
form the most menial services for
three ignorant, coarse women, until
her life was indeed a burden to her.
OF refined, gentle nature herself, two
months of this life had left their mark
upon her.
After q day Of unusually bitter ex-
perience and hard thankless work,
she went out and seated herself under
the tree that had tapped SO incessant-
ly on the window the night
her father died. This had become her
favorite haunt at eventide after her
days work, as it had been her father S
before her.
Shereviewed the past few months in
her mind; how the man that had been
more than father to her had said with
his dying breath that it was his desire
she should always stay at the farm
house; the arrival OF the people she
hated at her beloved Oakwood; their
cruel heartless treatment oil her; her
life of toll and hardship. SheresoIved
to leave them, despite OF her promise
to the contrary.
Poor papa" she murmured, you
did not think would be treated III
this way Or you would not have asked
me to stay"
So engrossed was she with her
thoughts that she had not noticed the
gathering clouds and brewing storm
until the drops came spattering down
between the leaves OF the huge tree,
and the rumbling Of distant thunder
warned her that she had better return
to thehouse. She had scarcely passed
from under the tree before q sharp
flash OF lightning had rent it, and she
saw the tree that had stood for centu-
ries broken heap. While she stood
there in her amazement, a white
paper tiuttered to her feet. Picking
it up and examining it as closely as
possible in the failing light, she read,
Last Will and Testament Of John
HazeltOn!' Her heart seemed to al
most stop beating! She was startled
by the raspipg voice of her mistress
asking her what she meant, standing
there wasting her time when theyOung
ladies were waiting to have their hair
prepared for the night"
Hastily concealing the paper, her
heart beating high with hope, she en-
tered the house, and went Immediately
to the room where they were waiting
for her to perform the menial task OF
brushing their hair. Never did the
time seem so long to her, nor never
did they seem to want more done
than on that night. No sooner had
she assisted them into their dressing
gown. and put on their slippers than
she donned her cloak and hood, and
went with flying steps to the village to
see Mr.. Markley, the lawyer, who had
served her father for several years.
She arrived there out of breath just
as he was about to leave.
ooh sir, just one moment please"
she managed to say breathlessly, Il
have something OF great Importance
to show you. could not sleep until
you had seen it."
why, Miss Evelyn, is you. Come
in, my child; you should not be out
alone at this time of night"
Re entering his Office. lighting the
lamp and seeing her comfortably seat
ed, he opened the paper and, after
glancing at it a moment, said:
Il am indeed thankful, my child.
You are at last to be righted. This
is will that l drew up for my client
long previous to his illness. | have
often wondered as to its whereabouts,
but could do nothing to press its ex-
istence. But where did you find it?"
he asked in a puzzled way.
She told him all the story of the
broken tree.
II think | understand" he resumed.
"He had long feared this sstepbrother'
stealing it, and would not trust it out
of his own hands, and did, no doubt,
put III GIGE6 lOE Stl6-hSCplhSJ anu
by Providence it has been given
to its rightful owner. 1t bequeaths
everything to my beloved daugh-
ter, Evelyn with the exception OF
a few hundred dollars to his brother.
l will take steps the first thing in the
morning to have the rightful owner
installed, and permit me to say think
it will be q charming one. And now,
with your permission, l will drive you
home in my gig"
He was only to glad for the op-
portunity to do so, for, although sew
eral years her senior, he had long secret
Iy loved her, but he was waiting to
gain name in his profession.
Evelyn slipped into the house un-
noticed and she lay awake long that
night wondering how the women. who
had no pity for her would feel when
they knew they were no longer to reign
there. At first she felt only resent
ment and triumph, but her better ma
ture asserted itself and she resolved
that they should not be wholly de-
prived of their present comfort.
With the first grey dawn of morning
she was up and went through her
usual routine of duties as though
uothino had hanpaned